Patent classifications
F01P2003/022
Four-stroke opposed piston engine architecture and related methods
Compact and quiet opposed piston engines (OPEs) are provided. Though compact and quiet, the OPEs provide substantial mechanical shaft power that is required for a range of applications. The inventive OPEs may have a plurality of size displacements.
ENGINE OPERATING METHOD AND ENGINE SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED LOAD STEP ACCEPTANCE
Operating an engine system includes feeding a flow of exhaust to a turbine in a turbocharger, receiving a load step request, and increasing a speed of rotation of the turbocharger based on an increase in a fueling rate initiated in response to the load step request. Operating the engine system further includes limiting dissipation of heat energy of the flow of exhaust to the turbine to hasten an increase in the speed of rotation of the turbocharger, and increasing dissipation of heat energy from the flow of exhaust after satisfaction of the load step request. Varying of the dissipation of heat energy can be achieved by displacing an insulating fluid in the exhaust manifold with a heat exchange fluid such as water and/or engine coolant.
Spool shuttle crossover valve and combustion chamber in split-cycle engine
A split-cycle engine includes: a first cylinder housing a first piston, wherein the first piston performs an intake stroke and a compression stroke, but does not perform an exhaust stroke; a second cylinder housing a second piston, wherein the second piston performs an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, but does not perform an intake stroke; and a valve chamber housing a valve, the valve comprising an internal chamber that selectively fluidly couples to the first and second cylinders, wherein the valve and internal chamber move within the valve chamber and relative to the first and second cylinders.
Heat pipes integrated into a 3-D printed part
An air cooled machine is formed with a housing and a plurality of heat rejecting fins with a heat pipe system disposed therein. The heat pipe system includes a primary passageway and a plurality of leg passageways extending through the housing and into each fin. A working fluid is disposed within the heat pipe system and is operable to receive heat from a heat source, change material phase at a threshold temperature and transfer the heat through the fins to a surrounding atmosphere.
Engine operating method and engine system for improved load step acceptance
Operating an engine system includes feeding a flow of exhaust to a turbine in a turbocharger, receiving a load step request, and increasing a speed of rotation of the turbocharger based on an increase in a fueling rate initiated in response to the load step request. Operating the engine system further includes limiting dissipation of heat energy of the flow of exhaust to the turbine to hasten an increase in the speed of rotation of the turbocharger, and increasing dissipation of heat energy from the flow of exhaust after satisfaction of the load step request. Varying of the dissipation of heat energy can be achieved by displacing an insulating fluid in the exhaust manifold with a heat exchange fluid such as water and/or engine coolant.
FOUR-STROKE OPPOSED PISTON ENGINE ARCHITECTURE AND RELATED METHODS
Compact and quiet opposed piston engines (OPEs) are provided. Though compact and quiet, the OPEs provide substantial mechanical shaft power that is required for a range of applications. The inventive OPEs may have a plurality of size displacements.
SPOOL SHUTTLE CROSSOVER VALVE AND COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN SPLIT-CYCLE ENGINE
A split-cycle engine includes: a first cylinder housing a first piston, wherein the first piston performs an intake stroke and a compression stroke, but does not perform an exhaust stroke; a second cylinder housing a second piston, wherein the second piston performs an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, but does not perform an intake stroke; and a valve chamber housing a valve, the valve comprising an internal chamber that selectively fluidly couples to the first and second cylinders, wherein the valve and internal chamber move within the valve chamber and relative to the first and second cylinders.
Aircraft power plant
There is disclosed a cooling system for a liquid cooled internal combustion power plant housed in an engine compartment in a tail cone of an aircraft. The cooling system has: a tail cone inlet defined through a wall of the tail cone and fluidly communicating with an environment; a wall inlet defined through a firewall of the engine compartment; a blower within the engine compartment and having a blower inlet and a blower outlet, the blower inlet fluidly communicating with the environment via the tail cone inlet, via the wall inlet, and via an interior of the engine compartment; a blower outlet defined through a wall of the aircraft and fluidly communicating with the environment; and a cooling flow path extending from the tail cone inlet to the air outlet and across the wall inlet, the cooling flow path in heat exchange relationship with the power plant.
AIRCRAFT POWER PLANT
There is disclosed a cooling system for a liquid cooled internal combustion power plant housed in an engine compartment in a tail cone of an aircraft. The cooling system has: a tail cone inlet defined through a wall of the tail cone and fluidly communicating with an environment; a wall inlet defined through a firewall of the engine compartment; a blower within the engine compartment and having a blower inlet and a blower outlet, the blower inlet fluidly communicating with the environment via the tail cone inlet, via the wall inlet, and via an interior of the engine compartment; a blower outlet defined through a wall of the aircraft and fluidly communicating with the environment; and a cooling flow path extending from the tail cone inlet to the air outlet and across the wall inlet, the cooling flow path in heat exchange relationship with the power plant.
Spool shuttle crossover valve and combustion chamber in split-cycle engine
A split-cycle engine includes: a first cylinder housing a first piston, wherein the first piston performs an intake stroke and a compression stroke, but does not perform an exhaust stroke; a second cylinder housing a second piston, wherein the second piston performs an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, but does not perform an intake stroke; and a valve chamber housing a valve, the valve comprising an internal chamber that selectively fluidly couples to the first and second cylinders, wherein the valve and internal chamber move within the valve chamber and relative to the first and second cylinders.